After ending the season with consecutive losses to Michigan State and Clemson, Ohio State and head coach Urban Meyer will get back in the win column on national signing day.

As of today, the Buckeyes have eight recruits among the Rivals.com 100. They figure to sign best class, by far, in the Big Ten and the No. 2 group in the country, according to Rivals and 247Sports.

Michigan and Penn State are a distant second and third, though the major recruiting sites differ on which school follows Ohio State in the conference’s recruiting rankings. Michigan’s class is small, but strong; the Wolverines’ 16 commits include one five-star recruit and six four-stars.

Penn State, meanwhile, has made great strides since hiring James Franklin from Vanderbilt. Franklin and his staff have added seven verbal commitments, including five from players who had previously committed to the Commodores.

Franklin’s staff is loaded with coaches with Pennsylvania ties, which should improve the Nittany Lions’ woeful in-state recruiting going forward. This year none of Rivals.com’s top 10 recruits from Pennsylvania are headed to Happy Valley.

In addition to the Big Ten’s big three, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nebraska all rank among Rivals’ top 30 classes.

There is a bit of intrigue on how wide the gap will be between the Buckeyes and everyone else. The Spartans are clashing with OSU over two top 100 recruits.

Coach Mark Dantonio and staff are trying valiantly to flip Chicago offensive lineman Jamarco Jones. He has been committed to Ohio State since June 27, and is Meyer’s top-rated lineman as the 7th best tackle in the country, according to Rivals.com.

Yet the 6-5, 295 pounder, rated No. 94 overall, is flirting with the Spartans and could visit East Lansing this weekend. If he does, the odds shift he will sign with Michigan State.

Both schools are also hoping to land one more top 100 player. Malik McDowell, a 6-6, 292-pound defensive end will make his final visit this weekend to Columbus. He’s rated the nation’s No. 26 overall prospect out of Southfield, Michigan. His finalists are Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan and Florida State.

McDowell is the top player in the region who has not yet made his decision. So far, the Buckeyes figure to have three of the league’s top four commitments expected to sign on Wednesday.

• Jabrill Peppers, CB, Paramus (N.J.) Catholic — Michigan. Peppers, who rapped his commitment to Michigan last summer, had 57 solo tackles and four interceptions this season and was named the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Defensive Player of the Year. He was a two-way star for the Paladins, but figures to be used primarily on defense and as a kick and punt returner early on at Michigan.

• Raekwon McMillan, LB, Liberty County (Hinesville, Ga.) — Ohio State. McMillan enrolled at Ohio State after picking the Buckeyes over Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida and Georgia. The 6-3, 235-pound McMillan, who had 159 tackles and 8.5 sacks as a senior, is the top-rated inside linebacker by Rivals.

He earned the High School Butkus Award as the nation’s top prep linebacker. McMillan is already enrolled at Ohio State.

• Damon Webb, CB, Cass Technical (Detroit) — Ohio State. The 6-foot, 180-pound Webb transferred to Cass Tech before his junior season and developed into a five-star recruit after deciding his future in football was at cornerback, not receiver.

“It was (assistant) coach Jermain Crowell and coach (Thomas) Wilcher who molded me into a defensive back,” Webb told the Detroit News. “In practice they thought I had more potential at defensive back because of my size.”

Webb will be a welcome addition to an Ohio State passing defense that ranked 112th among FBS schools and allowed at least 300 passing yards in its last four games.

• Johnnie Dixon, WR, Dwyer (Palm Beach Lakes, Fla.) — Ohio State. Another one of Ohio State’s early enrollees, Dixon helped lead Dwyer to the 7A state title. In five postseason games, Dixon had 17 catches for 366 yards and six touchdowns. The 6-0, 175-pound receiver picked Ohio State over Alabama and Miami.

• Secondary solution: In Peppers and Webb, the Big Ten boasts two of the top five cornerbacks in this year’s class, and there’s depth at the position beyond those two gems. Ohio State commit Erick Smith and Michigan State commit Montae Nicholson are both ranked among the nation’s top 15 safeties. Former Thurgood Marshall (Dayton, Ohio) star Vayante Copeland will join a Michigan State secondary that loses USA TODAY Sports first-team All-America Darqueze Dennard.